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Duality and Enlightenment

Now-Is-realityNow-Is-reality
edited March 2011 in Buddhism Basics
If there is no duality, but rather duality created by the mind, and thus the statement that the buddha was enlightened but I am not is dualistic... is everyone enlightened then?

Comments

  • DisneyDisney
    Enlightenment is the complete absorption that all existence and non existence are thyself. In this regards, there is no dualistic. The involvement of dualistic is the improvement of relationship or liberation based on vow and right condition :vimp:
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    Everyone has the capacity to awaken. The Buddha was simply awake. Don't create this and that, just let it go. There is nothing to chase, especially enlightenment. Your liberation is right in front of you.
    With metta,
    Todd
    image
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    In Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Zen, there is the concept of "Buddha-nature" and "primordial wisdom". IMO this is the thesis that yes, indeed, we are already fundamentally in an enlightened state, but due to the various obscurations, we don't know we have Buddha-nature or are not operating on the basis of primordial wisdom, and therefore just don't know that we are already enlightened and act and think unskillfully because of that.
  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    I think an analogous statement would be something like: Yes, everyone has eyes. Except most people have their eyes closed while Buddhas had his open. If you walk around with your eyes closed, you're going to bump into stuff. While enlightenment means being able to walk around without bumping into stuff. So on the one hand you can say yes, you have enlightenment because you already have eyes and eyes are all that is required to not bump into stuff. But on the other hand you could say no because you are not using them and you're still walking around bumping into stuff.
  • Now-Is-realityNow-Is-reality
    I think an analogous statement would be something like: Yes, everyone has eyes. Except most people have their eyes closed while Buddhas had his open. If you walk around with your eyes closed, you're going to bump into stuff. While enlightenment means being able to walk around without bumping into stuff. So on the one hand you can say yes, you have enlightenment because you already have eyes and eyes are all that is required to not bump into stuff. But on the other hand you could say no because you are not using them and you're still walking around bumping into stuff.
    I like that. :)

    Anyway a friend of mine had asked this question to me, however I think that he is saying that he is enlightened no matter what... little different of a view. :/ But I do like the way you guys explained it, and i feel that it is a bit more solid than that opinion. Thanks :)
  • TalismanTalisman Veteran
    Enlightenment is the complete absorption that all existence and non existence are thyself. In this regards, there is no dualistic. The involvement of dualistic is the improvement of relationship or liberation based on vow and right condition :vimp:
    What are you talking about? /facepalm
    :scratch:
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    We can talk about this when you tell us what you think enlightenment is. Different people have different notions of it.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran


    sums up everything. good luck!
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    That's your (Adyashanti's) version. I want to know what the OP thinks.
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    Lol attachment to thinking (duality) is the only thing preventing you from being enlightenment.

    I feel that is the overall idea behind Buddhist enlightenment. Are there really different ideas to it?
    Oh well. Then I'm curious OP.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    In this sense, "Enlightenment" is resting in the clear insight that there is neither non-duality nor duality, and that there is both non-duality and duality. And there is a middle way between these two extremes, but this is an experiential insight and not something that can be discussed in words or concepts.
  • AwakenedAwakened
    Seriousness - One aim, no distraction.
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